Planning a Bridal Shower: Themes, Invitations, Gift Ideas and More
The tradition of throwing a bridal shower began in the 16th century with a poor young couple in Holland. To ease the couple’s material burden, friends and family showered them with gifts. Today bridal showers are often more elaborate affairs, and the Web sites recommended in this Planning a Bridal Shower Web Guide can help you plan a bridal shower to remember.
Expand All Guide SectionsBridal Shower Advice
Use these Web sites to find bridal shower advice, including a bridal shower planning checklist, and tips on bridal shower etiquette and special-circumstance bridal showers (such as those for second weddings).
Insights for Bridal Shower Advice
- For advice and other resources for throwing parties of all kinds, see the findingDulcinea Hosting a Party Web Guide.
Top Sites for Bridal Shower Advice
The Knot
has a great series of articles about bridal shower basics, a planning checklist and a Q&A addressing etiquette matters for the host of the shower.
Bridal Guide
offers some general suggestions for several areas of bridal shower planning, including themes, decoration ideas and party games.
Aragia
has tips on hosting a bridal shower for a bride-to-be who is remarrying.
Bridal Shower Themes
It's not a bridal shower without guests and (for some) a fun party theme. The Web sites in this section offer suggestions for bridal shower themes and have bridal shower invitations for sale.
Insights for Bridal Shower Themes
- Many Web sites that sell bridal shower invitations also sell other wedding-related invitations, including engagement party invitations, wedding announcements, thank you notes and even place cards.
Top Sites for Bridal Shower Themes
For bridal shower themes …
WeddingChannel.com
provides a few suggestions for bridal shower themes in this helpful article.
Beaucoup Wedding Favors
offers several bridal shower theme ideas, including a “Stock the Pantry” shower, a “Honeymoon Shower” and a “Garden Party.”
For bridal shower invitations …
Wedding-Needs.com
offers modern-looking bridal shower invitations and has some wording examples if you need help phrasing your invitation. Use this site for save-the-date cards, menu cards, thank-you notes and other printed products.
Wedding Invitation Studio
has an extensive collection of bridal shower invitations for sale. Make use of the sample text for help with wording for many types of wedding-related invitations.
Unique Bridal Shower Favors, Games and Decorations
Nothing contributes to the atmosphere of a shower more than unique bridal shower favors, games and decorations. The sites below show you where to purchase decorations and favors—and provide inspiration to create your own.
Insights for Unique Bridal Shower Favors, Games and Decorations
- If typical games like Toilet Paper Wedding Dress just aren’t your cup of tea, consider these creative ideas from Martha Stewart, which include making jewelry, cooking and creating a quilt.
Top Sites for Unique Bridal Shower Favors, Games and Decorations
For bridal shower decorations …
BridalPeople
could easily serve as a one-stop shop for bridal shower preparations. Look for bridal shower decorations, tableware, memory books and much more.
PartyPail
suggests several bridal shower themes and sells decoration kits to correspond with the themes.
For bridal shower party favors …
Beaucoup Wedding Favors
has dozens of bridal shower favors that are displayed with great photographs.
American Bridal
contains pages of bridal shower favors and games available for purchase. Use the categories at the left of the page to narrow your search.
For bridal shower games …
The Knot
suggests bridal shower games and helpfully indicates when each game is best played (for example, to break the ice, for laughs and for traditional or sentimental crowds).
Weddingbee
has a long list of user-submitted games appropriate for bridal showers. Games are divided into themes, such as craft games (toilet paper wedding dress), nostalgia games (bridal history) and more.
Bridal Shower Food Ideas and Recipes
Finding the right bridal shower food ideas and recipes is easy with the Web sites below.
Insights for Bridal Shower Food Ideas and Recipes
- Searching general recipe Web sites like Allrecipes and Simply Recipes for “bridal shower” can return recipes specifically recommended for bridal showers.
- See the findingDulcinea Cooking Web Guide and the findingDulcinea Recipes Web Guide for additional help planning food for your party.
Top Sites for Bridal Shower Food Ideas and Recipes
Food Network
presents a list of simple foods and drinks appropriate for a bridal shower. Recommendations are meant for a brunch or tea, but there are also suggestions for an “all-dessert” shower and a coed shower.
Brides.com
offers thousands of food ideas for bridal showers. Search by food type (desserts, hors d’oeuvres) and cuisine (American, Asian). Contact information is available for many of the caterers who’ve created these dishes.
The New York Times
features recipes for 101 hors d’oeuvres that can be made in “20 minutes or less.” They’re not specific to bridal showers, but one of them might be a great fit for what you’re planning.
Bridal Shower Gift Ideas
Find invaluable help with matters of etiquette and tips on bridal registries and bridal shower gift ideas at the sites recommended below.
Insights for Bridal Shower Gift Ideas
- Bridal registries aren’t hard to find. Check the Web site of any major store chain or a favorite retailer for a registry. Many have a “recommended products” list to help you build a registry.
- For more inspiration about what to give the bride-to-be, see the sites recommended in the findingDulcinea Gift Giving Web Guide.
Top Sites for Bridal Shower Gift Ideas
For bridal registry tips …
WeddingChannel.com
offers some tips about registering for bridal shower gifts, and urges brides-to-be not to skimp on what they sign up for.
Bankrate.com
presents “10 tips for creating a wedding registry.” Tips encourage couples to check out hidden fees involved with registries and to register for items that suit all budgets.
BellaOnline
has some suggestions about when couples should sign up for a wedding registry (you can sign up too early), and the types of gifts to consider adding to a registry.
For bridal shower gift-giving ideas …
The Knot
suggests ways to add a little pizzazz to a more traditional gift like a coffee maker or blender. Also see the Q&A on gift etiquette.
Gifts.com
has a fairly extensive section of gift ideas for bridal showers or weddings. Look for gifts to fit interests (for cooks or travel enthusiasts), and gifts specifically for the bride or the groom.
NetGift.com
is a discount gift-giving Web site full of great deals. Purchase items (for others or yourself) for up to 50 percent off retail.
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